West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-10-21
THE MARCHING OF ARMIES.

Napoleon defined the "art OF war
to be the "art of separating to sub
sist and concentrating to fight
General Sherman says; THE only
change that breech-loading arms
will probably make in the art and
practice OF war will be to increase
the amount of ammunition to be ex-
pended, and necessarily to be carried
along; To still further thin out the
lines of attack, and to reduce bat
ties to short, quick, decisive conflicts.
1t does not in the least affect the
qraad strategy, or Che necessity for
perfect organization, drill, and dis
cipline." In 1881 General Roberts
marched 10000 and is guns from
Kabul to Kanabar, 800 miles, in %
davs. over the rough roads and
mountain passes of Afghanistan.
1t is easy to compute and calcu,
late for short marches, with small
bodies of men, but there are so
many elements that enter, as the
body of men grows larger or the
march longer, that it then becomes
exceedingly difficult. The pace OF
the infantry soldier in the United
States land all marches are regulat-
ed by the rate of step of the infant
ry) is thirty inches, ana at quick
time he takes 120 Of them to the
minute. In one minute, therefore,
he passes over 100 yards, or in one
hour 6.O00 yards, or nearly three
and one-halfmiles. Ifnow he would
keep this rate for ten hours, allow
inc ten minutes each hour for halt,
and an hour atnOon, he would make
over twenty-five miles. To keep up
such pace as that, or even to make
the same distance in twelve hours,
while il might be easy enough for
the individual soldier, for the regl-
ment of 1000 men would require
that the roads be the best possible.
the weather favorable, the soldiers
toughened and used to marching.
Under adverse circumstances, such
as bad roads, bad weather, raw sol
diers. etc. such march would be a
forced march. The actual fact that
on the march the cadence Of step is
from 90 to 100 q minute. and this is
kept up for eight or perhaps ten
hours. Ten minutes or thereaboutS
is allowed for 4 rest every hour, and
an hour at noon. At this rate, If
conditions are favorable, from eight
cen to twenty miles Il day may be
made. But Us rule it is not prac-
ticable for any but small bodies OF
men to make such distance. For
larger bodies oftroops, brigades, Ill
visions, etc. the following table,
shows the rate of march for different
arms OF service:
Infantry, route march, per hour 3 per
day l. miles.
Infantry. forced march, per hour /, per
dav ~ TO 30 miles.
Cavalry, route march, per hour 3, per
dav l. to L. miles
Cavalry, forced march, per hour :, per
day - TO 80 miles.
Army. route march, per hour ,, per day
II miles.
Army, forced march, per hour 31l, per
day 20 10 80 miles.
The average rates of such bodies
as are composed of more than one
division, when moving on single
road. is about two miles per hour or
from ten to twelve miles per day.
1t NAV ut first seem strange that Il
body of troops cannot move, even
under the best of conditions, over
twelve to fifteen miles a day, when a
man can easily walk, if he is any
thing of a walker. from twenty five
to thirty miles day. 1t only re-
quires, however, a little experience
to prove the figures above given
though they may be arrived at by
calculation. \ company of infantry
moving in column of fours, the rsu-
al marching formation, takes up
about 33 yards of depth. A regi-
ment Of ten companies will require
$50 yards, a company of cavalry
about 100 yards, and 4 battalion of
four companies about $50 yards. \
six-gun battery Of field artillery in
column of sections, and accompanied
with the usual baggage, requires
about 225 yards, From these fig
ures we calculate the length of a
column moving on a single road.
An infantry brigade of four regi-
ments will take up exclusive of bag
gage 1850 yards. The baggage, in
Guiding ammunition, will require nine
six mule wagons to each regiment.
Each wagon with its teams requires
90 yards depth, and for the entire
brigrada the depth will be over 700
,.,r1s Adj this to 350 wards and